Rare enlarged third edition of a well-illustrated work by the often overlooked Franciscan mystic author Frans Vervoort (ca. 1490-1555), "one of the greatest religious lyrists" (Schmitz) and generally said to be "the greatest follower of Ruysbroeck in the 16th century". In 16 chapters he describes how the human soul is threatened from all sides by the enemy's net ("vyants net") and he urges the reader to be careful.
Vervoort's works circulated in manuscript until at the end of his life he was "discovered" by Henricus Helstanus, his Franciscan superior who sent some of Vervoort's manuscripts to his friend the Archbishop of Trier (this letter is added at the end of our edition). Vervoort did not want his works to be published under his own name, therefore they appeared under the names of the editors - here Jan Verbrugghen, who also lived at Malines. Before his death, three of Vervoort's works were published, including the present one, first published in 1552 at Antwerp by Hans van Liesveld with 14 woodcut illustrations by the gifted Flemish Renaissance artist Pieter van der Borcht (ca. 1530-1608). Simon Cock published the second edition at Antwerp in 1556, adding the letter by Helstanus and with a revised text. Both of these editions are extremely rare. The present third edition follows the text of the second but adds 8 additional woodcuts by Pieter van den Borcht.
Title-page with restored margins, just touching the woodcut border, leaf a8 with a small hole, affecting text on recto and woodcut on verso, final leaf restored in the foot margin, browned and with some occasional small stains, but otherwise in good condition. Belg. Typ. 4740; USTC 407565 (7 copies); cf. Funck, p. 407 (1556 edition); Hollstein III, P. van der Borcht, 562-575 (1552 edition with 14 woodcuts); for Vervoort: Schmitz, Het aandeel der Minderbroeders in onze middeleeuwse literatuur, pp. 116-126.